


The More Things Change

by heliocentricity



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Canon Compliant, Fire Emblem: Three Houses Black Eagles Route, Fluff and Humor, Gen, Nonbinary Character, Trans Male Character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-22
Updated: 2020-05-22
Packaged: 2021-03-02 17:47:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,992
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24280822
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/heliocentricity/pseuds/heliocentricity
Summary: After a strategy meeting, half of the Black Eagles Strike Force stays behind and chats with one another about time, change, and hair.  (One-on-one relationships are NOT the focus of this story, but there are some cute moments between the couples.)
Relationships: Caspar von Bergliez & Linhardt von Hevring, Ferdinand von Aegir/Hubert von Vestra
Comments: 2
Kudos: 32





	The More Things Change

The Black Eagle Strike Force was gathered in their old classroom, which now served as an informal strategy room. Hubert was erasing several diagrams from the blackboard, as the rest of his former classmates bustled about the room or remained slumped forward in their desks. It had been a long day, and Edelgard had ended the strategy meeting early when she saw how exhausted everyone was. 

“It’s pointless to discuss battle plans in this state,” she had declared. “So, I want everyone to go back to their rooms and get a good night’s rest. We will reconvene here tomorrow afternoon.” 

Several people had visibly sagged in relief, as Edelgard made a big show of packing up her things and leaving the room. Petra had asked to accompany her back to the dorms, and Dorothea had left soon after to catch up to them. That left Ferdinand waiting for Hubert at the blackboard, Bernadetta hastily stuffing art supplies into her hedgehog-themed pencil pouch, and Caspar trying desperately to wake up an oblivious Linhardt.

“Hey! If you don’t respond to me in twenty seconds, I’m going to have to carry you out of here, like last time!” Caspar warned.

Nothing but snores answered him. 

“Excuse me, Caspar,” began Bernadetta, tapping lightly on her friend's shoulder. “I’m so sorry to interrupt, but would you mind walking back to the dormitories with me, as well? It’s not like I’m afraid of ghosts, or the dark, or strange masked figures wandering the monastery grounds at night, or anything. I just – “

“Say no more, Bernadetta,” said Caspar. “I’ve got your back. We’ll head out as soon as I get Linhardt to their feet.”

Linhardt groaned and buried their face even deeper into the basket of their arms. “Edelgard just gave us permission to sleep, so let me sleep.” 

“Yeah, but she gave us permission to sleep in our dorm rooms. Not in this classroom,” Caspar pointed out. 

“Same difference,” mumbled Linhardt. 

"I don't think so, buddy."

As Caspar prepared to lift Linhardt onto his shoulder, Bernadetta spoke up. Her voice was quiet, but it carried to the rafters of the high-ceilinged room. “Do you ever think about when we had class here? When all we did was joke around and prepare for mock battles? It was so long ago, but... Sometimes I get the feeling that not much has changed. I mean, the battles are real now, and there aren't as many jokes, but... We’re all still here, aren’t we? And we're all under the same roof.”

Caspar paused in his attempts to move Linhardt and pursed his lips thoughtfully. "Huh, now that you mention it..." He let his sentence trail off, unfinished.

Ferdinand jumped in to fill the silence. He was standing by the teacher's desk now, where Hubert was putting away the last of the chalk and tactical maps. “I, for one, love reminiscing," he admitted. “Although I'm glad we're no longer in the past. If these were still our school days, then I doubt we’d be this comfortable with one another. Even if we were less serious then, did we ever spend time together after class like this?”

Bernadetta worried at her lower lip. “I never thought about it like that, Ferdinand. You're probably right. I would’ve dashed back to my room as soon as this meeting was over, then I wouldn’t have come out until just before the next meeting started.” She looked down at her art supplies and smiled sadly.

“It’s a good thing you like us so much now, right?” Caspar teased, nudging her playfully with his elbow. “We’re much more entertaining than a stuffy old room.”

Bernadetta stumbled slightly and blushed. Once she had regained her footing, she said, “It’s nice to have both: friends and a place to recharge.” 

“What about you, Hubert?” pressed Ferdinand. “Do you think more things have changed or stayed the same?”

Hubert eyed the room wearily. “Well, the way you pester me is certainly the same, but…” His gaze flicked to Ferdinand for a heartbeat. “Looking at you all, it is clear that five years have passed.” 

“What do you…” started Caspar. “Oh! Is it the hair?” He laughed and smoothed his down. “Yeah, we’re all rocking some new styles! Even you, Hubert! Linhardt suggested this one for me. It’s nice, because I don’t have to worry about cutting it so much. When it grows out, it just looks even better! What made you all decide to change your look?”

“Oddly enough, I was inspired by Lorenz,” explained Ferdinand. “When I was little, I used to have long hair – maybe even longer than I have now. But when I came out to my family around the age of ten, the first thing my parents suggested I do was cut my hair short. Honestly, chopping it all off was one of the best decisions I ever made. Most strangers stopped misgendering me because of it, so I kept it that way for years. I couldn’t imagine why I’d ever want to go back.

“I think I was so caught up in being the perfect son that I never imagined doing things differently. It was only when I saw Lorenz’ new hairstyle that I realized noblemen can have long hair and not lose their identity as men for it. Don’t misunderstand: I’m glad I kept my hair short all those years. It was a necessary experience for me, and it is exactly what I wanted at the time. But I’m also glad that now I have the confidence to wear it long. Years ago, I might have been too nervous to let myself enjoy that. Now, it doesn’t even bother me when strangers mistake me for a woman.”

Hubert huffed and crossed his arms. “Mostly because you think it’s funny when people assume I have a girlfriend.”

“Exactly!” Ferdinand beamed. “The confidence boost I never knew I needed.”

“That’s really amazing, Ferdinand,” said Bernadetta. “I wish I had confidence like yours.”

“Don’t sell yourself short,” Ferdinand told her. “If anyone here has come out of their shell these past five years, it’s you. When I hear you laughing in the dining hall with a big group, well… Sometimes, I hardly recognize you.”

Bernadetta smiled and looked down, flustered. “It’s not that big of a group,” she insisted. “It’s just you all. My friends.” 

“So, what made you decide to change your hair?” asked Casper.

Bernadetta’s eyes widened. “I’m not sure I should say… It’s… kind of silly. And I don’t want you all to laugh at me.” 

“Nonsense. We would never do such a thing,” Ferdinand assured her. 

“Yeah!” Caspar agreed. “Just point me to anyone who has the nerve to laugh at you, and I’ll teach them a lesson they won’t soon forget!” He cracked his knuckles loudly in a show of solidarity.

Bernadetta sighed as she fidgeted her with pencil pouch. “OK, well, if you promise not to laugh… You see, there’s this character I’ve been drawing ever since I was little. She’s not from a story or anything. I just made her up. But she’s always represented everything I wanted to be. She’s me… and so much more. Charming, outgoing, charismatic… 

“When this war started, I was more afraid than I’d ever been, and I wanted something familiar to fall back on. I started drawing her again. And I thought… If I could just be more like her, then maybe I’d have the courage to protect my friends and see this thing through to the end.” She blinked, a little surprised she had said so much. Then her expression hardened into determination. “So, yeah, maybe this new hairstyle is silly or weird, but it means a lot to me, and I have no plans to change it anytime soon.”

Ferdinand had one hand pressed to his heart, and Caspar was holding back tears. 

“Bernadetta,” declared Ferdinand. “That is a beautiful story.”

Caspar sniffled. “Yeah. Who would ever make fun of you for that?”

Bernadetta looked away, blushing. “You’re both exaggerating. It’s not that amazing.”

“Hey!” Ferdinand pointed a stern finger at Bernadetta. “No more self-deprecating comments, alright? You are lovely, your hair is gorgeous, and your story is wonderful. That’s all there is to it.”

“Oh, you guys…” Bernadetta hid her ever-reddening face with both hands. “Let’s change the subject! Someone else talk about their hair!”

Ferdinand nudged Hubert with the toe of his boot. “What about you?” 

Hubert sighed. “It’s not that interesting,” he warned. When everyone continued to stare at him expectantly, he said, “I cut my hair shorter, so it would be easier to wash. There.” Still, silence. The void dragged on for several agonizing heartbeats. “Are you waiting for more?” he asked stiffly. “That’s it.” 

“Huh,” said Caspar, awkwardly. “Very practical. I like it.” 

Hubert glanced at Ferdinand, who was frowning in his direction as though he were searching for something. “What?” he asked. 

Ferdinand shrugged. “I just find it hard to believe there was so little purpose behind a hairstyle that nice. It really suits you.” 

“Oh. Well, I...” Hubert coughed, trying to look anywhere but at Ferdinand. He could feel all the eyes of the room on him, so he made a hasty attempt to redirect their attention. “Then it seems the only person still left to speak is Linhardt.”

It worked. Everyone turned their focus away from an increasingly flustered Hubert and looked toward Linhardt, who was miraculously sitting upright and tuned into the conversation. “Is it my turn now?” they asked. 

Caspar nodded eagerly. “Tell everyone why you decided to grow your hair out!”

“Ah, this?” Linhardt looked down at their hair, which tumbled over their shoulders like the world’s messiest waterfall. They shrugged. “I like having long hair, but the chin-length style was bothering me. I wanted to be able to tie the whole thing up, so no extra strands would get in my face while I was doing my research. So, I simply let it all grow. It was no problem, really, since I already know that gender is fake.” They shot Ferdinand a wink when they said this last bit, and Hubert smirked when he understood the reference.

“By the way, Caspar,” Linhardt continued. “I’ve thought about your offer to carry me up to my room so I can sleep more comfortably, and I accept. Since everyone's done sharing, are you ready to leave now?”

“Wait, hold up! I was only going to carry you if you left me no other choice,” Caspar protested, crossing his arms defiantly. “If you’re awake, you can walk upstairs yourself.”

Linhardt frowned. “But my legs are so tired from sitting in this desk all day,” they complained. They gave Caspar their best puppy-dog eyes. “What if I over-exert myself or trip on the staircase?”

Hubert snorted derisively, but Caspar sighed and relented. “Alright, alright, I’ll carry you.” He sat up a little straighter. “It’ll be good strength training, if nothing else.” He jumped to his feet and hoisted Linhardt onto his back like a turtle. “Oh, yeah, I’ve got this." He raised one hand in farewell. "Thanks for the stories, everyone! We should do this again sometime.” Then he jogged out of room, Linhardt smiling contentedly and already letting their eyes close.

Bernadetta snatched up her pencil pouch and followed them, crying out, “Wait for me, please!”

That left just Ferdinand and Hubert in the room, which was now clutter-free and silent as the grave.

Ferdinand leaned back on a desk seductively. “If I asked nicely, would you carry me like that?” he teased. 

“No.” Hubert’s reply was instantaneous and monotonous.

Ferdinand laughed. “So harsh! May I at least accompany you on your walk? I’m going the same way.”

Hubert pretended to consider the request for several breaths before saying, “Very will. I will allow it.” 

Ferdinand smiled and slipped his hand into Hubert’s as they left their old classroom and extinguished the final candle behind them.


End file.
